Geogryeolbiyeoldo, Dokdo of the West Sea, Designated as a Nationally Managed Coastal Port

The Gyeongryeolbi Islands are the westernmost islands in Chungnam, consisting of three main islands?Bukgyeongryeolbi, Donggyeongryeolbi, and Seogyeongryeolbi?and nine smaller islets. The name "Gyeongryeolbi (格列飛)" was given because the islands resemble three birds flying in formation at regular intervals. Aerial view of the Gyeongryeolbi Islands. Provided by Chungnam Province.

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The ‘Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo,’ known as the Dokdo of the West Sea, has been finally designated as a nationally managed coastal port.

Chungnam Province announced on the 5th that the amendment to the Port Act Enforcement Decree, which includes the designation of Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo as a nationally managed coastal port, has been promulgated and will be enforced.

Following the designation of Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo Port as a nationally managed coastal port, it will be primarily used for national security, territorial waters management, and ship refuge.

In particular, the province expects that firm sovereignty protection in the nearby Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will fundamentally prevent maritime territorial disputes, shorten the dispatch distance for coast guard and fisheries patrol vessels, enable rapid response to illegal fishing by Chinese vessels, minimize damage to domestic fisheries, and guide safe navigation of ships, thereby enhancing territorial waters management.

The newly designated nationally managed coastal port, ‘Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo Port,’ will be established on Bukgyeongryeolbido, where the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ manned lighthouse and the Korea Meteorological Administration’s West Sea Comprehensive Weather Observation Station are located.

The province anticipates that once the port construction is completed, the dispatch time for coast guard patrol ships and national fisheries patrol vessels will be reduced by about two hours compared to dispatching from Taean Anheung Port.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to initiate a basic port plan project to promote port development and enable efficient operation, reviewing management and operation plans, scale, development costs, and timing for Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo Port.

Along with this, the province plans to start the basic and detailed design project in 2024 after the completion of the basic port plan, aiming to prioritize the construction of a pier to allow ship docking by 2030.

Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo is a group of three islands located at the westernmost point of Chungnam Province, about 55 km from Anheung Port and approximately 50 km from Ga-ui Island. It is said that the name Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo was given because from a distance, the islands appear like a formation of flying geese.

Kim Tae-heum, Governor of Chungnam Province, said, “The designation of Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo as a nationally managed coastal port is the first step toward the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s national agenda of ‘Protecting Maritime Territory and Sustainable Marine Management.’ The province will actively respond to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ basic port plan while simultaneously exploring utilization plans for surrounding water area management, marine research, and tourism revitalization.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.